The More Time You Spend With Your Mother, The Longer She'll Live: Claims Study!

The More Time You Spend With Your Mother, The Longer She'll Live: Claims Study!

A study has found that spending time with your mother can add more years to her life span and keep her healthy.

By Apeksha Nichrelay

March 11, 2019

Posted March 11, 2019

In our busy lives, we often forget to take time and appreciate the ones who actually mean the most to us. From bringing you to this world to taking care of you and being there for you whenever you need her, your mother is one person in your life who loves you regardless and accepts you for who you are. No matter what the others say, a mother's child is always perfect to her. But while mums are always on their toes to keep their family happy and healthy, we often take their love for granted. No, showering your mom with gifts on Mother's Day isn't enough, you need to make sure you let her know that you love and appreciate her for everything she does and has done for you.

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It comes as no surprise that when children spend time with their parents, it makes them happy but now science is claiming that spending time with your mother can not only keep her happy but also add precious years to her lifespan. A study which was conducted over 1,600 adults has found that when elderly people have enough companionship, they tend to live longer and be happier.

"Loneliness is a common source of distress, suffering, and impaired quality of life in older persons. We examined the relationship between loneliness, functional decline, and death in adults older than 60 years in the United States. Among participants who were older than 60 years, loneliness was a predictor of functional decline and death," reads the study claiming that the ones who feel lonely tend to get sick often.

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"In older persons, health outcomes, such as worsening disability and death, are influenced not just by biomedical factors but also by psychosocial distress. The hypothesis that loneliness may be a risk factor for adverse health outcomes in older persons is supported by previous studies that show that other forms of psychosocial distress lead to adverse health outcomes. For example, several studies link depression to higher risks of disability and mortality. Other studies have shown that measures of social isolation—the number of social contacts and the amount of social engagement—are associated with poor health outcomes," it reads further.

(Pixabay)

Being lonely leads to depression and the elderly often lose the will to live. "Loneliness is an important contributor to human suffering, especially in elderly persons, among whom prevalence rates may be higher. Loneliness is the subjective feeling of isolation, not belonging, or lacking companionship." Keep in mind that a person can feel lonely even when they are surrounded by people. You need to make an effort to talk to them.

"Loneliness is also distinct from several quantitative measures of social isolation such as living alone, marital status, and number of relationships. For example, it is possible for persons who live alone to not feel lonely, while some who are married or living with others will still experience loneliness. Loneliness can be explained as the discrepancy between one's desired relationships and one's actual relationships," the study elaborates.

Loneliness affects not only one's mental health but also their physical health. “Loneliness is a significant factor in the decline of quality of life in older adults," the study concludes. Sure eating healthy and exercising is important but maintaining healthy human relations also plays a vital role when it comes to the longevity of life. Take this opportunity to call your parents and let them know how much they mean to you. Small gestures can mean a lot. Spend as much time with your parents as you can, quality time with you can do wonders to them and their health.